System for carpet tile installation

ABSTRACT

Connectors for joining adjacent modular floor covering units. The connectors include a film and an adhesive layer coated on one side of the film. To install tiles using the connectors, a first tile is placed on the floor and a connector is positioned so that the adhesive layer faces upward and does not contact the floor. The connector is typically positioned so that only a portion of the adhesive layer adheres to the underside of the tile, leaving the remainder of the connector extending from the underside of the tile. Tiles are then positioned adjacent the first tile so that a portion of the connector adheres to the adjacent tiles. In this way, the connectors span adjacent tile edges. The tiles are assembled on a underlying flooring surface without the need to attach them to the floor surface.

RELATED APPLICATION DATA

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/270,129 filed Nov. 13, 2008, allowed, which is a continuation of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/018,947 filed Dec. 21, 2004, now U.S.Pat. No. 7,464,510, which claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 60/619,340, filed Oct. 15, 2004, and is acontinuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/638,878,filed Aug. 11, 2003, which claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 60/403,790, filed Aug. 15, 2002, which and is acontinuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/381,025,filed Dec. 8, 2003, which is a 35 U.S.C. 371 national phase ofPCT/US01/29313, filed Sep. 19, 2001, which claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Application No. 60/233,680, filed Sep. 18, 2000, all ofwhich applications are incorporated herein by reference in theirentirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to systems and methods for installing floorcoverings, particularly including carpet tile and other modular floorcoverings.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Floor coverings have been in use since before recorded human history.The first such materials were undoubtedly animal skins or plantmaterials like leaves or stems. Later, floor coverings weremanufactured, such as by weaving or knotting a variety of naturallyoccurring fibers, including sisal and wool. Beginning in the twentiethcentury, such fiber-faced floor coverings began to be manufactured fromman-made fibers as well.

While the first floor coverings were limited in size to the size of ananimal skin, later floor coverings expanded to cover entire room floors.Such “wall-to-wall” installations of “broadloom” floor covering cameinto wide-spread use in the twentieth century. Paradigm installations ofsuch materials utilize one or a small number of pieces of broadloomcarpeting to cover entire room floors. This type of wall-to-wall floorcovering is generally attached to the floor in some manner.

Later, modular floor coverings utilized smaller, uniform size modules ortiles in both solid surface floor coverings such as vinyl tiles and intextile-faced floor coverings, usually called carpet tiles. As explainedin U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/638,878 for “Re-ConfigurableModular Floor Covering,” filed Aug. 11, 2003, tiles may be installed, asarea rugs that do not cover the entire flooring surface. However, thevast majority of tiles are used in wall-to-wall installations. Tileshave traditionally been installed in aligned rows and columns, with theedges of each tile aligned with the edges of adjacent tiles(“conventional carpet tile installation method”). Conventional carpettile has historically been a product that sought to mimic the appearanceof broadloom carpet and to hide or at least de-emphasize the fact thatthe product was modular. Achieving this result has required, at minimum,that carpet tiles or modules be placed in a flooring installation withthe same orientation that the modules had at the time they were produced(i.e., monolithically). However, textile face modular flooring designershave recently begun to design flooring and flooring installations thatdo not seek to mask, but rather celebrate, the modularity of theflooring. For instance, while still installed in aligned rows andcolumns, modules are installed “quarter-turned” with each tile positionrotated 90° relative to each adjacent tile.

Modules are not always installed in aligned rows and columns, however.For example, tiles are also installed in aligned columns that do notform aligned rows of modules so that a column of tiles appears shiftedup or down relative to adjacent tile columns (“ashlar installationmethod”). In other installations, tiles are installed in aligned rowsthat do not form aligned, but rather staggered, columns (“brick-laidinstallation method”).

While the floor covering modules are generally of relatively substantialsize and weight, which facilitates maintenance of the modules in thepositions they are placed when the floor covering is assembled, it isdesirable to provide a means for further resisting module movement. Thishas traditionally been accomplished by attaching the modules to theunderlying flooring surface in a variety of ways.

Modules are often glued to the floor by first applying a layer ofadhesive to the underlying flooring surface and then positioning thetiles on top of the adhesive. With this method, adhesive typicallycontacts the entire surface area of the underside of the flooringmodules, which increases material costs and often leads to difficultlyin re-positioning the tiles if they are positioned incorrectly. This isa particular problem during installation of patterned modules that mustbe matched at the seams. Moreover, when the tiles are eventuallyremoved, glue remains on the flooring surface and that glue sometimesretains portions of the removed tiles. The glue (and any flooringmaterials held by the glue) must be removed from the floor to create asmooth surface before installing new tiles. This adds both cost and timeto the installation process.

Modules may also be installed by pre-applying adhesive to the entireunderside (or any part) of the module. For example, adhesive may beapplied in a relatively narrow strip across each module underside andcovered, prior to module installation, by a plastic film or paper stripthat is peeled off just before module placement. Again, however, thismethod involves attaching the modules directly to the floor and canresult in the consequent drawbacks discussed above.

Modules have also be installed using double-sided adhesive tape, wherebyone side of the tape is positioned on the back of the module and theother side of the tape is positioned on the floor to thereby secure themodule to the floor. Double-sided tape has also been positioned betweenand along the entirety of adjacent carpet and carpet tile edges.However, as with adhesive, double sided tape can be unforgiving withrespect to tile re-positioning and can also leave a residue on the floorupon removal of the tiles. Moreover, the tape has a low tensile strengthand is relatively inelastic and consequently is apt to stretch and notregain its shape. This can result in the gaps formed between adjacenttiles.

In addition to direct attachment to the floor, modules have also beenindirectly attached to the underlying flooring surface, such as withmechanical fasteners or adhesive covered pads. For example, hook andloop fasteners have been used whereby a sheet of either the hook or theloop is secured to the floor and the other of the hook or the loop isprovided on the back of the modules. The hook or loop on the modulesthen engages the hook or loop on the floor to secure the modules to thefloor. Pads covered with adhesive have also been used. For example, afoam pad pre-coated on both sides with a releasable adhesive has beenused. During installation, release paper is removed from both sides ofthe pad to expose the adhesive, and the pad is attached to the floor.Carpet tiles are then positioned on top of the pad and held in place bythe adhesive. While these systems and methods may improve theinstallers' ability to re-position the tiles, they significantlyincrease the material cost of the installation. Moreover, with theseinstallation methods, the tiles are more likely to move relative to eachother and thereby create gaps in the installation.

Other installation methods exist whereby the tiles are neither directlynor indirectly attached to the floor. For example, one-sided adhesivetape, such as duct tape, has been used to secure adjacent tilestogether. The tiles are positioned face down and the tape is securedalong the entirety of the adjacent edges of the tiles. The tiles mustthen be carefully turned over to expose their wear surfaces withoutbreaking the connection between adjacent tiles. This method requires asignificant amount of time to position the tape on the tiles as well asa significant material investment to tape adjacent tile edges togetheralong the entirety of the seams. Moreover, such adhesive tape isrelatively flimsy, making it challenging to position the tape as desiredon the underside of tiles, and, as with double-sided adhesive tape,suffers from low tensile strength and inelasticity, rendering it likelyto permanently stretch when subjected to stress and thereby createpermanent gaps between adjacent tiles.

While methods for installing floorcoverings exist, a need exists for asystem and method that reduces both the time and material costs neededto install modules into a stable floorcovering.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention addresses the problems of previous modular flooringinstallation methods by providing systems and methods that reduce thetime and material costs required to install a floor covering. Connectorsare used to join adjacent floor covering units. The connectors areparticularly useful in installing modular floor covering units(“tiles”). Each connector includes a film and an adhesive layer coatedon one side of the film. To install tiles using the connectors, a firsttile is placed on the floor at a position determined by conventionaltile installation methods. A connector is positioned so that theadhesive layer faces upward and does not contact the floor. Theconnector is typically positioned so that only a portion of the adhesivelayer adheres to the underside of the tile, leaving the remainder of theconnector extending from the underside of the tile. Tiles are thenpositioned adjacent the first tile so that a portion of the connectoradheres to the adjacent tiles. In this way, the connectors span theadjacent edges of the adjacent tiles. The tiles are assembled on aunderlying floor surface without the need to attach them to the floorsurface. Rather, the tiles are linked to each other with the connectors,so that the tiles create a floor covering that “floats” on theunderlying floor surface.

The connectors need not be positioned along the entirety of the adjacentedges nor even across all adjacent tiles edges in the installation.Rather, the connectors are sized so that, when positioned in theinstallation, they do not extend along the entire length of the adjacentedges. Moreover, while any number of connectors may be used at anynumber of locations between adjacent tiles, the benefits of thisinvention may be fully realized by placing the connectors in strategiclocations within the assembly (such as at some of the corners where fourtiles meet). This is in contrast to prior installation methods thatrequired stabilizing material be placed along the entirety of adjacenttiles edges so that all adjacent tiles edges in the installation werestabilized.

The size and relatively minimal number of connectors needed to stabilizea tile installation can result in a significant reduction in materialcosts from prior tile installation methods. Moreover, use of theconnectors significantly reduces tile installation time by obviating theneed to prep a floor prior to installation instead of the installerapplying a layer of adhesive to the floor and then retracing his stepsto position the tiles on the adhesive layer, with the connectors, theinstaller positions and secures as he goes. Moreover, given thereleasable adhesive used on the connectors and the limited surface areaof the tiles that contacts the connectors, the tiles can easily bere-positioned if necessary. Furthermore, because the tiles do notinteract with the underlying floor, they are easily removable from thefloor and leave the underlying floor pristine upon such removal.Consequently, the floor does not require refinishing before it isrecovered with another floorcovering.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is perspective view of one embodiment of a connector and releaselayer of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another embodiment of connectors and arelease layer of this invention.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of yet another embodiment of connectors ofthis invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of one embodiment of a connector dispenser ofthis invention,

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of an installation of tiles pursuant tothis invention.

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of a subset of the tiles of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of another installation of tiles pursuantto this invention.

FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view of a subset of the tiles of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a side schematic view of an embodiment of a connector of thisinvention attached to a tile edge.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This invention relates to systems and methods for installing floorcovering. One of skill in the art will understand that the systems andmethods described herein may be used in a variety of floor coveringinstallations. However, applicants have found the connectors describedherein particularly useful in any type installation (includingwall-to-wall and area rug installations) of modular floor covering units(hereinafter referred to as “tiles”). The tiles may be of various colorsand textures in a range of sizes and shapes. For example, individualtiles may be in a shape that simulates wood planking or shapes ofceramic and other tiles, including, but not limited (o, hexagons,squares, rectangles, triangles and other shapes. In addition, the tilesmay be provided in a variety of textures. Tiles of this invention maytypically be conventional carpet tile with textile faces (including, butnot limited to, tufted, bonded, and printed faces), but could also beother modular materials, including woven and nonwoven textile flooring,solid vinyl, ceramics, leather, or any other suitable material. Thetiles are preferably installed on a generally smooth surface, including,but not limited to plywood, laminates, linoleum, vinyl tile, hardwoods,and concrete. However, as discussed below, the tiles may be installed onan intermediate substrate, including pad and broad loom carpet, locatedbetween the tiles and the underlying floor.

FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a connector 20 of this invention.The connector 20 includes a film 22 and an adhesive layer 24 coated onone side of the film 22. A release layer 26 is placed on top of theadhesive layer 24 to protect the underlying adhesive. In use, therelease layer 26 is removed from the connector 20 to expose the adhesivelayer 24. As will be described in more detail below, the connector 20 isthen positioned so that the adhesive layer 24 contacts the underside ofadjacent tiles to span the adjacent edges of the tiles and therebyconnect the tiles together to form a floor covering. In this way, thetiles are assembled on a underlying flooring surface without the need toattach them to the floor surface, so that the tiles create a floorcovering that “floats” on the underlying floor surface.

The film 22 may be of any suitable material, but, to facilitate rapidflooring installations in accordance with this invention, is preferablymade of a material that is relatively stiff so that a connectorpositioned partly in contact with the underside of a tile will projectbeyond the edge of the tile in roughly the same plane as the undersideof the tile. This facilitates proper positioning of the projectingconnector portion to make appropriate contact with an adjacent tile.This is typically greater stiffness than most adhesive tapes that willsignificantly curl or droop down from an underside of a tile to which aportion (but not all) of a length of such adhesive tape is attached. Atthe same time, the film 22 from which connectors of this invention aremade should be sufficiently flexible to facilitate handling theconnectors in a roll if desired and to permit the connectors to conformto floor or tile irregularities.

The film 22 should also resist shrinkage, which can result in bucklingof adjacent tiles, and exhibit a relatively high tensile strength toresist stretching under foot traffic and rolling loads. For example,materials that exhibit a tensile strength between 160-270 mega Pascals(“MPa”) in the machine direction and 165-210 MPa in the cross-machinedirection have been found particularly suitable for this application.Moreover, the percentage by which the material may be elongated orstretched before breaking should also be relatively high to preventconnector breakage and failure when subjected to tensile stresses. Forexample, it is preferable, but not required, that the material used becapable of being stretched 120-200% of its machine direction dimensionand 150-170% of its cross-machine direction dimension before breaking.

Polymeric materials, paperboard and other materials including textilesand metals that are suitably stiff, thin, strong, water-resistant andinexpensive may also be used for film 22. However, the film 22 ispreferably a synthetic polymer material, such as a polyolefin, apolyamide, or a polyester, and more preferably polyethyleneterephthalate (“PET”) polyester. These materials are relatively cheap,will conform to the underlying floor in use, and will resist corrosion.While not necessary, it is preferable that the film material berecyclable.

The film 22 preferably has a thickness between 0.0005 and 0.015 inches,inclusive, and more preferably between 0.003 and 0.01 inches, inclusive,and even more preferably is 0.005 inches. The film 22 may also have, butdoes not have to have, a primer coat (not shown in the figures), such asa coating of acrylic, applied to the same side on which the adhesivelayer 24 is to be applied to promote adhesion between the film 22 andthe adhesive layer 24. The film 22 may be corona treated on one or bothsides to increase surface tension and promote adhesion between the film22 and the adhesive 24 without the use of adhesion promoting coatings.

The film 22 may be any shape, including, hut not limited to, a circularshape or any rectilinear shape such as a square or triangular. A squareshape is suitable for most installations. Moreover, the size of the film22 can depend on the size of the tiles being installed. However, as ageneral e, the surface area of the film 22 can be as little as 1%, andpreferably between 2-5%, of the surface area of the tiles for which theconnectors are intended to be installed. It has been found that aconnect surface area over nine square inches does not meaningfullycontribute to the stability of an installation of 18 inch square or 50centimeter square tiles. Thus, connectors 20 desirably should be, but donot have to be, no larger than about three inches by three inches squareto conserve materials and limit expense.

While the adhesive layer 24 can be any adhesive that exhibits certainattributes desirable for use in this invention, the specific type oramount of adhesive used in the connector may often depend on the tilewith which the connector 20 is intended for use. With all tiles,however, it is preferable to use a releasable adhesive. Water-basedadhesives rather than solvent based adhesives) with little or novolatile organic content (“VOC”) are also preferable. Acrylic adhesives,including those sold by 3M under the identification numbers 9465, 6032,6035, and 6038, and in particular 9465 (which is primarily an acrylateterpolymer) and 6032 (a tackified acrylate copolymer), are suitable.Moreover, the adhesive 24 preferably, but not necessarily, is resistantto water and typical carpet cleaning detergents.

The adhesive layer 24 in all connectors 20 should adhere well to theback of the tiles. However, the adhesion to the tile should not be sostrong as to prevent removal and repositioning of the tile relative tothe connector 20, if necessary. If the bond strength between the tileand the adhesive (i.e., the amount of force required to separate theadhesive layer 24 from the tile hacking, which can be measured using theASTM D-3330 test (commonly referred to as the “90 degree peel test”)) istoo strong, the adhesive layer 24 will peel from the film and remainwith the tile, thereby destroying the connector. Thus, the bond strengthbetween the adhesive layer 24 and the tile should not be stronger thanthat between the adhesive layer 24 and the film 24.

The bond strength is preferably between 5-100 ounces/inch, inclusive, atroom temperature. The preferable bond strength may depend on the tilebacking. For example, the bond strength between the adhesive andhardback tiles, such as, for example, those made from PVC, polyurethane,or polyolefin, is preferably about 50-70 ounces/inch. The bond strengthbetween the adhesive and tiles having a textile backing, such as forexample a woven polypropylene or felt backing, is preferably about 10-60ounces/inch. Moreover, the bond strength between the adhesive andcushion back tiles is preferably about 40-60 ounces/inch, and the bondstrength between the adhesive and bitumen backed tiles is preferablyabout 10-20 ounces/inch. It is preferable that the bond strength betweena tile and the adhesive at elevated temperatures remain within +/−15% ofthe bond strength at room temperature.

The amount of adhesive (i.e., the thickness of the adhesive layer)provided on each connector 20 can depend both on the size of theconnector 20 as well as the tile to be used with the connector 20.However, it is preferable that, while the amount of adhesive shouldenable the connector sufficiently to contact and engage the underside ofthe tile to achieve the bonding strengths set forth above, it should notbe so much that the adhesive migrates beyond the interface of theconnector 20 and tile to contact the underlying floor. In this way, thefloorcovering installation will remain unsecured to the underlying floorto facilitate the eventual removal of the modular units. A connector 20with an adhesive thickness about 0.0005-0.010 inches, and morepreferably about 0.002-0.008 inches, has been found suitable for mostapplications.

For tiles having a textile backing, more adhesive will typically benecessary to penetrate the cavities formed in the backing and therebyprovide sufficient interfacial contact between the tile and adhesive.Connectors having an adhesive layer 24 that is about 0.005-0.008 inchesthick is preferable for tiles having textile backings. For tiles havinga relatively flat or shallow embossed backing surface, such as hard backtiles, less adhesive, preferably with a thickness in the range of0.002-0.003 inches, may be used.

All of the adhesives contemplated for use on the connectors should alsohave sufficient sheer strength to prevent the tiles from moving relativeto the connectors or each other and thereby creating gaps betweenadjacent tiles after installation.

Although not shown in the figures, it is possible to provide a logo orother design elements on the connectors 20. For example, a logo may beinked on the side of the film on which the adhesive is to be applied. Inthis way, the ink, which typically has a high VOC content, is trappedbetween the film and the adhesive, preventing any undesirable emissionsfrom the ink. Moreover, when the connector is positioned on the releasepaper, the logo is also protected by the film. This prevents the logofrom being accidentally scratched off or otherwise removed from theconnector.

The release layer 26 may be any material compatible with the adhesivesuch that the release layer 26 does not adhere to the adhesive toprevent its removal from the connector. Kraft paper having a low energycoating, such as a polymer coating (e.g., polymeric silicone), on atleast one side has been found to be particularly suitable in thisapplication. However, release materials suitable for use in thisinvention are widely commercially available, such as from 3M, andreadily known to one of ordinary skill in the art.

The connectors 20 are preferably provided to the installation site asindividual units already entirely or partially cut into the desiredshape and size to be used in the installation. While each connector 20may be manufactured separately, economies of manufacture may be achievedby first manufacturing a sandwich of film 22, adhesive layer 24, releaselayer 26 larger than the intended connector size, and then cutting theconnectors 20 from that sandwich. The adhesive layer 24 can be coatedonto the desired film 22, after which the release layer 26 is positionedin contact with the adhesive layer 24 to form the sandwich. In anothermanufacturing embodiment, the adhesive layer 24 is first applied to therelease layer 26, after which the film 22 is positioned onto the releaselayer 26 to form the sandwich.

The resulting sandwich may obviously then be cut into connectors 20 ofthe desired shape and size. However, a number of connectors 20 ispreferably provided on a single release layer 26. For example, multiplepre-cut or perforated connectors 20 may be positioned consecutivelyalong a strip of release layer 26. For ease of handling and storage,this strip can be rolled so that the connectors are positioned on theoutside (see FIG. 2) or inside of the roll or folded between consecutiveconnectors 20 into an accordion shape. Moreover, a number of connectors20 may be provided on a sheet of release layer 26. The film 22 may beprovided with perforations 28 (see FIG. 3) or may be fully cut into thedesired connector shape and size for ease of removal from the releaselayer 26 (not shown) during installation. The ideal number of connectors20 provided on a strip or sheet of release material will obviously varydepending on the size of the installation.

Provision of the connectors 20 on a strip or sheet of release materialhas been found to facilitate removal of the connectors 20 from therelease layer 26 and thus reduce installation time. With respect toconnectors 20 provided on a strip of release material (as shown in FIG.2), installation can also be expedited through use of a connectordispenser that holds at least one rolled or accordion folded strip ofconnectors 20 and that preferably also provides a mechanism forseparating the connectors 20 from the release layer 26. The dispenser,which, for example, may be fashioned as a backpack or mounted on theinstaller's belt, preferably includes structure for supporting at leastone roll of connectors 20 (and preferably more).

In one embodiment of such a dispenser (see FIG. 4), a roll of releasematerial bearing connectors 20 is housed in a box 30 made from anysufficiently-rigid material, such as, for example, plastic, metal, orcardboard. The box preferably includes three openings 32, 34, 36 throughwhich the strip of release material is fed. The strip of releasematerial is fed through the first opening 32, at which opening ispositioned a projection 38. The release material is then fed back intothe box 30 through a second opening 34 and out a third opening 36. Inuse, the installer pulls on the release material strip extending fromthe third opening 36. This, in turn, advances from the roll portions ofthe release layer 26 bearing connectors 20. As the release layer 26extends over the projection 38, the connector 20, which is relativelyrigid, is unable to conform to the shape of and travel over theprojection 38. Instead, the connector's leading edge disengages from therelease layer 26, after which the installer can easily grip thedisengaged edge to remove the connector 20 fully from the release layer26. Obviously, the more connectors the dispenser is able to support, thefewer times the installer must re-load the dispenser duringinstallation. This can be especially beneficial during largeinstallations.

In another embodiment of this invention, the release material 26 may beomitted entirely. Rather, the connectors 20 can be stacked on top ofeach other, with the adhesive layer 24 of one connector 20 contactingthe film 22 of the connector 20 positioned above it in the stack. Theinstaller then simply peels a connector 20 from the stack duringinstallation.

in one method of installing tiles using the connectors, a first tile isplaced on the floor at a position determined by conventional tileinstallation methods. A connector 20 is peeled from the release layer 26(or from a stack of connectors 20) and positioned so that the adhesivelayer 24 faces upward away from the underlying floor. The connector 20is positioned so that only a portion of the adhesive layer 24 adheres tothe underside of the tile, leaving the remainder of the connector 20extending from the underside of the tile. A tile or tiles are thenpositioned adjacent the first tile so that a portion of the connector 20adheres to the adjacent tile(s). In this way, the connector spans theadjacent edge(s) of the adjacent tile(s).

Any number of connectors 20 may be used to connect adjacent tiles in aninstallation. However, to create a stable floor covering, the connectorsneed not be positioned along the entirety of the adjacent tile edges noreven across all adjacent tile edges. Rather, unlike adhesive tape thathas been used to secure adjacent tiles together along the entirety ofadjacent tile edges, the connectors 20 of this invention need onlyextend along a very limited length of the adjacent edges. For example,the tiles of a floor covering installation where only 5%-10% of adjacenttile edges are stabilized with connectors 20 have been found to exhibitplanar stability (measured by the cupping and/or curling of the tiles)and dimensional stability (measured by the skewing of the tiles), aswell as the ability to retain their relative positions in theinstallation when subjected to foot traffic, rolling traffic, andstresses applied during cleaning and maintenance.

FIG. 5 shows one embodiment of a conventional installation (i.e., inaligned columns and rows) of tiles. For ease of discussion, thepositioning of the connectors is discussed relative to a basic unit 40of four tiles 41-44, as shown and arranged in FIG. 6. Tiles 41-44 arepreferably connected with a central connector 46 at the corners wherethey intersect. Moreover, the corner of each tile diagonal from thecenter connector 46 is also connected to adjacent tiles with a connector20. In this way, only a total of two tile connectors (the centerconnector 46 plus a quarter of a connector at each of the four diagonaltile corners) need be used to install the basic unit 40 of four tiles41-44. Breaking this down even further, each of the four tiles 41-44,draws its stability from, on average, only one half of the surface areaof a connector.

FIG. 7 illustrates possible connector placement in a brick-laid tileinstallation (or ashlar installation if FIG. 7 is rotated ninetydegrees). For ease of discussion, the preferable positioning of theconnectors 20 is discussed relative to a basic unit 60 of four tiles61-64, as shown and arranged in FIG. 8. As with tiles 41-44, a total ofonly two tile connectors (½ of a connector per each tile) need be usedto install the basic unit 60 of four tiles 61-64.

FIGS. 5-8 illustrate a few of only countless connector placementpossibilities for installing tiles. Connectors 20 may be positioned atarty location between adjacent tiles, and thus an given tile in theinstallation may contact a portion of as few as one connector and asmany as feasible given the size of the tile and of the connectors 20. Inaddition to placement at the corners of intersecting tiles, connectors20 may be positioned to span the adjacent edges of only two tiles.Moreover, different shaped or sized connectors 20 may be useful in asingle installation. For example, in addition to the rectangularconnectors shown in FIG. 5, triangular-shaped connectors may be usefulat the border of an installation, such as where the tiles abut a wall.

In addition to on-site placement of the connectors 20, it is alsopossible to pre-position the connectors 20 at desired locations on thetiles during manufacture. For example, the release material 26 on theconnectors 20 may be perforated. During manufacture, a portion of therelease material 26 can thus be removed along the perforation to exposea portion of the adhesive layer 24. That portion of the connector 20 canthen be adhered to the underside of the edge of a tile 50 as discussedabove (see FIG. 9). The adhesive on the remainder of the connector 20 isstill protected by the remaining release material 26. To prevent theconnector 20, which extends from tile 50, from interfering withpackaging of tile 50 for shipment, it may be preferable to bend theconnector 20 along the perforation back (in direction A) so that theunderside of the connector 20 is flush with itself. During installation,the installer need only extend the connector 20 from the edge of tile50, remove the remaining release layer 26 and install the tiles 50 asdiscussed above.

Because the tiles are not attached to the floor, they need not be placeddirectly on an underlying flooring surface. Rather, the connectors 20 ofthis invention work equally well with tiles positioned on anintermediate substrate positioned between the tiles and the floor. Forexample, a barrier material, such as a plastic sheet, may be positionedon the floor prior to tile installation. The plastic sheet can serve toprotect the floor from damage, such as might be caused by liquidsspilled on the tiles that escape through the tile seams, as well asserve as a barrier to moisture present in the existing floor and therebyeliminate the need for sealants and barrier coatings. Moreover, acushion or foam pad may also be positioned on the floor before tileinstallation. The cushion provides comfort underfoot and also eliminatesthe need to use cushion back carpet tiles. Rather, hardback tiles cansimply be installed on an underlying cushion pad.

The connectors of this invention improve upon current tile installationsystems and methods. The connectors use both less material and cheapermaterials, than traditional installation systems. Moreover, use of theconnectors significantly reduces tile installation time (by as much as60% of the time for adhesive systems) by obviating the need to prep afloor prior to installation. Rather than applying a layer of adhesive tothe floor and then retracing his steps to position the tiles on theadhesive layer, with the connectors, the installer positions and securesas he goes. Moreover, given the releasable adhesive used on theconnectors and the limited surface area of the tiles that contacts theconnectors, the tiles can easily be re-positioned if necessary.Furthermore, because the tiles do not interact with the underlyingfloor, they are easily removable from the floor and leave the underlyingfloor pristine upon such removal. Consequently, the floor does notrequires refinishing before it is recovered with another floorcovering.

The embodiment described above is illustrative and non-limiting. Manyvariations of the structures illustrated in the drawings and thematerials described above are possible and within the scope of thisinvention as defined in the claims.

We claim:
 1. A system for installing carpet tiles on an underlyingsurface, the system comprising: a plurality of carpet tiles, whereineach carpet tile comprises an underside; and a plurality of carpet tileconnectors for connecting the plurality of carpet tiles, each carpettile connector comprising: a film having two sides; and a layer ofadhesive located on a side of the film, wherein the layer of adhesive iscapable of forming a bond between the film and the undersides ofadjacent carpet tiles and comprises a sufficient shear strength so that,when a connector spans adjacent edges of the adjacent carpet tiles sothat the layer of adhesive contacts the undersides of the adjacentcarpet tiles, the connector prevents adjacent tiles from moving relativeto the connector or each other thereby creating gaps between theadjacent tiles after installation, wherein the film comprises a plasticmaterial sufficiently stiff for a connector positioned partly in contactwith an underside of a carpet tile to project beyond the edge of thecarpet tile in roughly the same plane as the underside of the carpettile.
 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the plastic material comprises apolyolefin, a polyamide, or a polyester.
 3. The system of claim 1wherein the film exhibits a tensile strength between 160 and 270 MPa,inclusive, in at least one direction.
 4. The system of claim 1 whereinat least one of the plurality of connectors has a surface area ofapproximately 9 inches square.
 5. The system of claim 1 wherein at leastone of the plurality of connectors has a film that comprises a thicknessbetween approximately 0.0005 and 0.015 inches, inclusive.
 6. The systemof claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of connectors has afilm that comprises a thickness between approximately 0.003 and 0.01inches, inclusive.
 7. The system of claim 1 wherein the layer ofadhesive comprises a releasable adhesive.
 8. The system of claim 1wherein the film comprises a dimension and wherein the film is capableof being stretched at least 120% of the dimension before breaking. 9.The system of claim 1 wherein the connector is adapted to connect theadjacent carpet tiles together without attaching the carpet tiles to theunderlying surface on which the tiles are positioned.
 10. The system ofclaim 1 wherein the plurality of connectors are provided in a roll. 11.The system of claim 10 wherein the plurality of connectors are providedon release material.
 12. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality ofconnectors are provided on a strip of release material folded into anaccordion shape.
 13. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality ofconnectors are provided in a stack.
 14. The system of claim 1 whereinthe system further identifies that, to install the carpet tiles usingthe connectors, a first carpet tile is placed on the underlying surface;a connector is then positioned so that only a first portion of theconnector adheres to the underside of the first carpet tile leaving asecond portion of the connector extending from the underside of thefirst carpet tile, and an adjacent carpet tile is then positionedadjacent to the first carpet tile on the underlying surface so that thesecond portion of the connector adheres to the adjacent tile.